Cardiologist reveals five foods to avoid for a healthy heart

Irish Daily Mirror

30-04-2025

Millions of people are currently living with a heart or circulatory disease, and there are roughly 100,000 hospital admissions each year due to heart attacks. Heart health is a significant concern, but thankfully, simple lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk of disease.
Dr Darius Farzad, a cardiologist at Jefferson Health, highlighted diet as a "huge piece of the puzzle" in terms of cardiovascular health. He said: "From a dietary perspective we've adopted talking to patients about the Mediterranean lifestyle. So really avoiding things like fried foods, a lot of sweets, soda, processed foods, a ton of empty carbohydrates, things like pasta, rice. He suggested incorporating more foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts, olive oil and lean meats into your diet, and using less butter and red meat. Dr Farzad added that exercise is also a key component of a heart-healthy lifestyle.
He recommended adding more fruits and vegetables, nuts, olive oil and lean meats to your diet, and reducing butter and red meat consumption. Dr Farzad also emphasised that exercise is a crucial part of a heart-healthy lifestyle, advising: "I tell people to get at least five days a week where you're getting 30 to 60 minutes of exercise where you're getting your heart rate up."
Tracy Parker, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, remarked: "Whether you are at risk or not, a healthy lifestyle which includes a balanced diet like the Mediterranean-style diet can help you to lower your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases."
She pointed out that adopting a Mediterranean diet also helps reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, reports Surrey Live.
Parker continued: "It's easy to do – make sure you are eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, beans, lentils, wholegrains, fish, nuts and seeds, along with some low-fat dairy and fat from unsaturated sources like olive oil. It's also important to eat less processed meat, salt and sweet treats."
Heart UK, the cholesterol charity, noted that although the Mediterranean diet isn't low in fat, it contains less saturated fat. The diet is praised for being a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and rich in potassium, fibre, and antioxidants.
The charity recommends cutting down on foods such as lard, white bread, cornflakes, sweet biscuits and cakes, chocolate, crisps, pastry, sausages, high-fat cheese and milk, and takeaways. Instead, they suggest increasing intake of wholegrains, olive oil, porridge, unsalted nuts, lentils and beans, lean meat, and reduced-fat dairy.
Dr Farzad also emphasised the detrimental effects of smoking on heart health, stating that quitting smoking is the "most important, biggest thing" a person can do for their health.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has explained that the chemicals in cigarettes cause the walls of your arteries to become sticky. This results in fatty material adhering to the walls and blocking your arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Additionally, smoking can heighten your risk of blood clots, trigger an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, and diminish the amount of oxygen delivered to the rest of your body.